18 coda
by anotherlazybum
Summary: Written for Livejournal's 18coda fic themes. Theme 4 and 5 up.
1. Canon

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Disclaimer

: Not mine.

**Warnings**: Spoiler for PMK volume 4 manga. (The part where they showed Souji's and Hijikata's past? Yes, that.)

**Author's Note**: Written for the Livejournal's 18coda community.

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**Theme 1: Canon**

_Canon (Latin: a measuring line, rule, model) : A musical form where the melody or tune is immitated by individual parts at regular intervals. The individual parts may enter at different measures and pitches. The tune may also be played at different speeds, backwards or inverted._

_--_

Souji still had nightmares. It was always the same dream, always starting off with his nine-year old self in his room, taking a mirror out of the drawer even as he inwardly guessed, no, _knew_ what horrors it would bring.

And he could never stop himself from looking into it.

His reflection staring at him was _that _child, no, that dwarf monstrosity which he had killed so long ago.

_His first kill. _

_And it was saying, "You're me."_

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Reviews and criticisms are appreciated!


	2. Rhapsody

**Disclaimer**: Not mine.

**Warnings**: Crack drabble ahead.

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**Theme 2: Rhapsody**

_Rhapsody (French: rapsodie) : implies a work free in form and inspiration.  
_

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Toshizo Hijikata's haikus were amateurish at best. A few may have compared it favorably to the scribblings at vandalized public toilets. Many had literally died laughing at the Demon Fukuchou's "brilliant" haikus .

In short, his poems about plums which were, of course, plums...sucked.

But Okita Souji found them good enough to risk a limb or three to "borrow" the book for a glimpse of the Fukuchou's talent. His unusual violet eyes detected the hidden and maybe not-so-subtle meanings and implications in the haikus which were usually about plums and cherry blossoms. And he found the fact that the haikus were so free of form - that they lacked the normal intrinsic meanings and depth that they did not resemble haikus at all- to be endearing.

Hijikata was a realist who saw the world as it was. And he had made it his mission to make it a better place even though it meant spilling blood along the way.

But it did _not_ meant that he never noticed the beautiful parts of the world either. In fact, he had been inspired to preserve it. And thus, _"A plum is...still a plum."_

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Hijikata did not have a great sense of humour. Anyone found to be laughing with Souji when his book was missing was immediately suspected of laughing at his fantastic works of art and sentenced to seppuku.

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Reviews and constructive criticisms are appreciated!


	3. Rubato

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**Disclaimer:** Look closely and you'll see the words "It's not mine...damn!"

**Warnings**: Implied shonen-ai.

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**Theme 3: Rubato **

_Rubato (Italian: stolen)_ :_a direction to allow a player __a measure__ of freedom in performance_

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Souji has more freedom that anyone else in the Shinsengumi barracks and he knows it. Who else could get away with reading Hijikata's book of poems1 without actually dying of laughter or having their limbs lopped off by a furious Vice Commander? Or beg for money to buy sweets without being told to commit seppuku for wasting funds?

Even then, he finds himself a little envious of the Shinsengumi's "puppy" as he watches Tetsu being teased and provoked by the Comedic trio2. Souji muses that Tetsu will probably be free to grow up, leave3 and marry the little brown-haired girl that he likes so much and live happily ever after. As for him...well, Souji doesn't want a future where Shinsengumi does not exist. He wishes things would stay exactly as they are now. He cannot bring himself to see a future without Hijikata at his side grumbling about incompetent pages and spilled tea.

"Oi, shorty! How's the view down there?"

A few "thwacks" and a "foomph"later results in Tetsu having to re-wash the laundry while the others nursed bruises from the bamboo washing sticks.

Souji does not envy Tetsu much after that.

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1In the loosest sense of the word.

2 And everyone else. It was the unofficially made the most popular past time in the Shinsengumi barracks to participate in what was known as "puppy-baiting". Very manly in fact.

3 Pages are able to leave Shinsengumi without being told that they must leave the world too. Literally. Souji mentioned this somewhere in the manga/anime if I recall correctly.

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Thank you to all those who did let me know (directly/indirectly) that it was worth reading...and eyeryone else who read and lurked unseen.


	4. Sempre

**Disclaimer**: Not mine.

**Warnings:** Souji-centric. And very short drabble ahead.

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**Theme 4: Sempre**

_Sempre (Italian: always): __In the same manner throughout_.

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Souji left his childhood behind at Fate's doorsteps long ago when he first bloodied the blade with _that_ man's blood. But he had never truly grown up to become an adult either. The raven haired captain still presented everyone with his trademark sunny smiles and overly sweet candy.

And he had never regretted anything when it came to Hijikata. Just like an innocent trusting child, Souji had accepted the fact that he would always be:

_Killer, murderer, blood-stained._ The Demon's child.

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Thank you for reading!


	5. Leitmotif

**Disclaimer:** Not mine. Yet again.

**Warnings:** Crack.

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**Theme 5: Leitmotif**

_Leitmotif (German Leitmotiv : leiten, to lead + Motiv, motif):_ _a melodic passage or phrase associated with a specific character, situation, or element; a dominant and recurring theme, as in a novel_.

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Hijikata was an unusually grumpy person even by the grumpiest person's standards. He was the epitome of grumpy (1).

And he had a good reason for that too (2). His mornings start off innocently enough with him sleeping in as usual. And the too-overly-active-high-on-sugar captain bouncing in and onto him literally as usual. In Hijikata's books, having sudden surprises such as a violet-eyed captain jumping on him when he was sleeping was not a good way to wake up to. The pig-loving brat might as well give him a heart attack or three.

Then, the good-for-nothing page would serve him disgustingly cold undrinkable tea. If that was not bad enough, the stupid clumsy red head actually managed to _trip _the cup over his fingers. As if _teacups_ could actually be tripped (3). Of course, Hijikata would have to go without his tea.

If the morning's fiascos were not enough, Hijikata had to deal with more idiots in the afternoon too. Kondo seemed to enjoy torturing him by scheduling meetings with the silly talkative men from the government. And that would not have been overly bad if Kondo himself had actually attended for once, but...he never did. Meetings being meetings, they went on till late in the evening without a toilet break.

Even after reaching back at the Shinsengumi barracks, Hijikata's work of dealing with idiots did not end. The three-drunk-fools were still being annoying, the idiot page was still clumsy and the other Commanders were still as relaxed (slacking in Hijikata's words) as they were in the morning (4).

And the pig-which-was-suppose-to-become-bacon was still eating candy with the still-high-on-sweets swordsman in his room strewing candy wrappers all over the floor in the name of art.

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(1) If you looked up "Grumpy" in the dictionary, the synonym of the word would be "Hi-ji-ka-ta-san"

(2) Many many reasons.

(3) Using the Oh-so-great Tetsu technique of tea pouring, tea cups can be tripped.

(4) As they were when Shinsengumi started. Not just that morning.

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Thank you for reading! Two little short drabbles in a day : )


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